Quel'Danil
"Some travelers speak of banners with the rising sun of sky blue and silver passing by in the woods like a host of spectres. Others even tell of hooded riders that only move under a moonlit sky during the night. One detail is similar in all tales however, that they were heading eastwards into the Hinterlands." Introduction Quel’Danil is an elven settlement in the Hinterlands, situated at the feet of northern mountain range. Originally a lodge for rangers and diplomats before the Third War, it has served as both an outpost and a diplomatic hub for the Quel’dorei. Now their goal is to secure a haven for their remaining kin on Azeroth and protect high elf interests. Location The lodge was on a hill on the shore of lake, hidden between the pine woods and mountains of the Central Hinterlands. The surrounding forests are known for their fresh mountain air and their rich wildlife, which have remained mostly untouched since ancient times. Travelers and traders can reach it from the dwarven settlement of Kaldhaven via the eastward road from the crossroads, but they rarely wander further due to the recently more frequent troll raiding parties. History Pre-Cataclysm The high elves of Quel’Danil, or as they are more generally known as, the Highvale elves have inhabited the area even some time before the Third War and have built diplomatic relations with the neighbouring Wildhammer clan of dwarves. After the war, a pact has been struck between the two factions, leading to their dominance over the western regions of the Hinterlands. They have led successful skirmishes against the Witherbark, Vilebranch and Revantusk trolls with the help of Alliance adventurers, where the latter would be well known to be conspiring with the Horde. The Revantusk has been especially eager to make acts of aggression towards the Highvale elves by enlisting Horde adventurers to their aid and entrusting them with the mission to slay as many elves as possible, which later proved to be unfruitful as they have been continuously repelled. The Arrival of the Ashen Accord After the war against the Lich King has come to an end, a noticeable amount of high elves have moved to Quel’Danil, although not much has been heard of them since as the elves seem to keep to themselves. Ever since the arrival of the new settlers, the eastern woods have been strained further as more game was hunted for food. Not much is known about their exact number, but they maintain good relations with the Wildhammer dwarves and trade with the nearby town, Kaldhaven. Those wandering too close to the lodge might see rangers guarding or patrolling the area. Later on, the elves bolstered their numbers from the rangers Quel'Lithien Lodge of the Eastern Plaguelands, bringing more high elves into the forces of the Ashen Accord and reinforcing their position in the Hinterlands by a great margin. Moreover, trollish raids had become less frequent as the Witherbark tribe had been driven out of the region by the Vilebranch. Meanwhile the Raventusk would also launch a series of skirmishes against the Vilebranch, who in turn recalled their warbands to assist in the defense of their borders on both fronts. This opened way for the elves to begin constructing more infrastructure and better secure their own grounds.